China is a very safe country for tourists by any measure — violent crime against foreigners is extremely rare, petty crime is lower than in most European or American cities, and the infrastructure is world-class in major cities. The health considerations are real but mostly manageable with basic preparation.
Table of contents
Open Table of contents
Drinking Water: The One Non-Negotiable
Do not drink tap water anywhere in China. This is uniform advice — it applies to Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong (different from mainland), Chengdu, and rural areas equally. Chinese tap water is treated but contains pipe contamination and varying mineral levels that cause gastrointestinal problems in people not accustomed to it.
What to do instead:
- Hotel rooms always provide boiled water or a kettle. Use this for brushing teeth or making hot drinks.
- Bottled water is universally available at convenience stores (7-Eleven, FamilyMart, Lawson), supermarkets, and hotel shops. ¥2-5 for a 500ml bottle.
- At restaurants, you’ll usually receive hot tea or hot water automatically — both are safe.
- Reusable bottle users: fill from your hotel’s hot water dispenser or let bottled water cool.
Note on ice: In good-quality restaurants, ice is generally made from purified water. At street food stalls, be more cautious about iced drinks.
Air Quality: When It Matters and When It Doesn’t
China’s air pollution problem is well-documented but geographically and seasonally uneven. The situation:
High pollution zones: Northern China (Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shanxi, Henan, Shandong) experiences significant air pollution episodes, particularly in winter (November-February) when coal heating increases emissions and weather patterns trap pollutants.
Lower pollution zones: Southern China (Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Fujian), Yunnan province, coastal areas, and mountain destinations are generally much cleaner. Shanghai is middling.
Checking air quality:
- Download the AirVisual app (works in China, real-time PM2.5 data)
- PM2.5 levels explained:
- 0-50: Good (no action needed)
- 51-100: Moderate (sensitive people should limit prolonged outdoor activity)
- 101-150: Unhealthy for sensitive groups
- 151-200: Unhealthy (reduce extended outdoor activity)
- 201-300: Very unhealthy (stay indoors where possible)
- 300+: Hazardous (avoid all outdoor activity)
On high pollution days in Beijing (October-March):
- Stay in well-ventilated indoor spaces or air-conditioned hotels (many hotels have HEPA filtration)
- If you must be outside, an N95/KN95 mask provides meaningful protection (KN95 masks are cheap and widely available in pharmacies, ¥3-8 each)
- Heavy outdoor exercise (running, cycling) is inadvisable at AQI 150+
Days after rain or after a cold front passes, Beijing can have strikingly beautiful blue-sky clarity. Time outdoor activities for these windows.
Food Safety: Real Risks vs Overstated Ones
Street food in China is generally safe — the turnover is high, the cooking temperatures are high (everything is cooked to order and very hot), and the popular stalls have been operating for years. The popular stalls are popular for a reason.
What to be cautious about:
- Raw vegetables at budget street stalls (washed in potentially contaminated water)
- Raw shellfish — stick to cooked seafood unless at a reputable restaurant
- Unpasteurised dairy in rural areas
- Water-washed salads at local restaurants (most Chinese cooking doesn’t involve raw vegetables, so this is mainly relevant at Western-style restaurants)
What is overstated:
- General street food danger — this is a common misconception. Noodles, dumplings, skewered meats (chuan chuan), and fried items from busy stalls are almost universally safe.
- Restaurant hygiene — Chinese restaurant hygiene standards in major cities have improved significantly and are inspected regularly.
The most common cause of traveler’s diarrhea in China isn’t dirty food — it’s the spice levels of Sichuan and Hunan cuisine, which are extreme by global standards. If your stomach isn’t accustomed to chilli, pace yourself.
If you get sick: Loperamide (Imodium) and rehydration sachets are widely available at Chinese pharmacies (药店, yàodiàn) without prescription. Pharmacies are marked with a green cross.
Finding Medical Care
China has good medical facilities in major cities. The distinction to understand is between:
Public Chinese hospitals (公立医院, gōnglì yīyuàn): High quality but challenging for language reasons. Registration process is in Chinese, staff may have limited English. Emergency care (急诊, jízhěn) in major hospitals like Peking Union, Ruijin (Shanghai), or West China Hospital (Chengdu) is world-class but navigating it without Chinese language help is difficult.
International clinics (国际诊所, guójì zhěnsuǒ): English-speaking staff, familiar processes, direct billing with international insurance. More expensive but much less stressful for foreign visitors.
Major international clinics by city:
- Beijing: United Family Hospital (和睦家), International SOS, CITIC Sino-Swedish Hospital
- Shanghai: Parkway Health, United Family Hospital, Jiahui Health
- Guangzhou: Guangzhou United Family, Global Doctor
- Chengdu: Chengdu United Family, Global Doctor
- Hong Kong: Adventist Hospital, Matilda International Hospital
International clinic consultation fees: ¥600-1500. Bring your passport and travel insurance documents.
WeChat Doctor (微信医生): For minor issues, this app connects you with Chinese doctors for video consultations. Most don’t speak English, but Baidu Translate real-time translation works well for the text chat feature. Useful for getting a prescription for common medications.
Emergency Numbers
| Service | Number |
|---|---|
| Ambulance (急救) | 120 |
| Police (警察) | 110 |
| Fire (消防) | 119 |
| Traffic police | 122 |
| Tourist complaint hotline | 12301 |
Important: 120 dispatchers in major cities increasingly have English-capable staff, but don’t count on this in smaller cities. If you need an ambulance and can’t communicate, ask your hotel to call.
For your embassy’s emergency line: Before traveling, note your embassy’s emergency 24-hour line. The US, UK, Australian, Canadian, and EU member state embassies in Beijing all have emergency contact lines that can assist in medical or legal emergencies.
Vaccinations and Pre-Trip Health
There are no mandatory vaccinations required to enter China for most nationalities. Recommended vaccinations (check with your doctor based on your specific itinerary):
- Hepatitis A — recommended for all travelers
- Hepatitis B — if not already vaccinated
- Typhoid — for adventurous eating and rural travel
- Japanese Encephalitis — for rural stays in summer, particularly in rice-growing regions
- Rabies — if doing outdoor activities in areas with wild animals or dogs
Malaria: Low risk in most tourist areas, but exists in parts of Yunnan (near Myanmar border) and Hainan. Check the CDC or WHO current recommendations for your specific itinerary.
Altitude sickness: Relevant for Tibet (Lhasa at 3650m), Daocheng Yading (4500m), and parts of Qinghai. Allow acclimatization time; consider acetazolamide (Diamox) prescribed before departure.
Travel Insurance
This is non-optional for China travel. Medical evacuation from China — if something serious happens in a rural area — can cost US$50,000-150,000 without insurance. Ensure your policy includes:
- Emergency medical treatment (minimum US$100,000 coverage)
- Medical evacuation
- Trip cancellation and interruption
- Coverage for specific activities you’re doing (adventure sports, hiking)
See our detailed travel insurance guide for specific policy recommendations.